“But what about your job with the Soldiers of Fortune?” she asked after a moment. “Don’t you have to live in Arlington for that?”
“Maybe,” he said, sighing. “We’re still working everything out. Is that a deal-breaker for you?”
Olive squeezed him tight and buried her face in his chest before answering. “No. I’d go anywhere, as long as I’m with you.”
“You wouldn’t miss your students?” he asked, kissing the top of her head. “I know you love that school.”
Olive beamed up at him, taking her hand in his and placing them atop her baby bump. “I love you and our baby even more. And I can still keep in touch with my students no matter where we live. My future’s with you.”
Levon bent to kiss her again, filled with so much love he felt like he might burst with it. “And you, Olive Owen, are my future.”
20
“‘It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…’”
“Really, Levon! Don’t you think that book’s a little too advanced for her?” an amused voice interrupted behind him.
Levon turned, and saw his gorgeous wife slanting her gorgeous frame in the nursery doorway. Despite Olive’s words, he could see her silent laugh in the way her mouth curved.
“Well, I thought little Allie and I would get a head start.” Levon returned his attention to the infant girl, equally gorgeous, sleeping soundly in the curved cradle of his right arm. “I want her to attack reading the way I never did. I don’t want her to ever be afraid of it.”
“But Dickens?” Olive wondered. “Do you really think she’ll retain…? Oh. Ha. Ha.” Levon had turned again while she was talking, and raised the copy of The Cat in the Hat he was reading from. “You knew I was here the whole time.”
“Can’t sneak up on a SEAL, baby.”
Olive scoffed, but had no argument for that truism. She crossed into the room and joined the other two members of her new family on the rug. Their new house in Arlington was much bigger than her house back in Harper’s Forge. Perfect for a future growing family, Levon had said. She reached out and tweaked one of Allie’s tiny little feet. “How is she doing?”
“Snug as a bug in a rug.”
“Well, now that I know she’s so intellectually advanced, maybe I’ll wait to share my news until she’s awake so the both of you can appreciate what it means,” Olive teased.
Levon’s heart nearly stopped at what he thought her words hinted at. “Don’t you dare,” he said. “And don’t make me wrestle you for it. You know I will. I’ll put Allie in her cradle, and I’ll—”
“Okay, okay! Yeesh!” Olive laughed again, but Levon saw the uncontainable excitement lighting her eyes as she withdrew a letter from her pocket. He traded her for Allie, watching his wife draw their daughter into her arms; but the beautiful sight didn’t distract him for long. He unfolded the piece of paper and scanned down the lines of text. For once, every letter seemed to sit still on the page; as if they, too, were holding their breath for him to achieve complete understanding of Olive’s news.
“You got it,” he said with wonder. “In less than two years, you got your Ph.D. from the University of Arlington. Holy shit, Liv, I’m married to…”
“… a doctor.” Olive couldn’t resist making the pronouncement herself. “Well? What do you say to that, Mr. ex-SEAL?”
Levon folded the letter closed. “I say that I’m looking forward to being Mr. Doctor Owen,” he replied.
“I’ll be Doctor Asher,” she corrected him.
“Still not used to that.”
“‘Olive Asher’ is a way cuter name. Makes me sound like a superhero.” Olive pinched Allie’s toes again. “‘Allie Asher’. We sure did make a beautiful kid, Levon.”
“Don’t I know it. I’m the one who gets to look at the two of you every morning when I wake up.” Levon drew his girls into a protective embrace and sighed blissfully. “To think this is my life…”
“To think this is my life,” Olive echoed him. She tucked her head beneath his chin and snuggled in close. “Me: the nerdy girl from science lab, who always had a crush on the guy who was out of her league.”
“And me: the guy too stunned by his cute lab partner to get a smooth word in edgewise. Oh, that reminds me,” Levon continued as he helped Olive lift the sleeping Allie up to her bed. “They’re throwing a surprise party for you tomorrow after school to celebrate.”
“How the hell… heck… do they know already?” Olive really seemed perplexed by this. “You’re the first person I’ve told. I haven’t even told my parents, and they demanded I call them immediately when I got the letter—”
“Because I’m about to let everyone know.” Levon finished tucking their daughter in, then pressed a finger to his lips. “Family, friends, students—present and former. It’s been the plan all along. Everything’s organized, just waiting for the ‘go’ sign. I just have to say the word, and they’ll spring into action. I think a bunch of people from Harper’s Forge are planning to rent a bus.”
“You have such a talent for making others fall in line,” Olive said admiringly. She fluttered her eyelashes, and didn’t appear to know she was doing it. Levon felt a rush of arousal, but decided to keep a lid on it—at least until they were out of the room. “But wait, what am I saying?” Olive shook her head. “I don’t want a surprise party! I… it’ll be totally embarrassing.”